The Biggest Anti-War Demonstration Since the Vietnamese War

On the 15th, the largest number of demonstrators since the Vietnamese War covered major cities of the world. Starting New Zealand, which the sun came up earliest, more than 10 million people shouted ‘No Iraqi War’ while the Earth turns around. Even in Asia, Africa, and Europe as well as in the USA and the UK, which were preparing for invasion, and in Iraq, which was the target for the invasion, the anti-war rallies were continued. Suitable for demonstration proclaiming ‘peace,’ most of them were proceeded peacefully.

▽In the USA=For the demonstration held near the UN Headquarters in New York, 500,000 people participated. The Nobel Peace Prize Winner Archbishop Desmond Toto of South Africa addressed, “America must listen to the other countries of the world,” and Martin Luther King III said, “To have the biggest gun does not mean to use it.” Actress and Actor Susan Sarandon and Danny Glover participated on the rally. While the terror watch alert was in effect in New York, a solemn guard was continued until late night.

In Los Angeles, demonstrations were held in 3 places simultaneously and around 100,000 participated, and famous Hollywood directors and actors such as Martin Sheen, Angelica Houston, and Rob Reiner participated, too.

▽In Europe=At the Hyde Park in London, around 750,000 to 1.5 million people gathered, and the biggest political rally, which was against the Iraqi War, of the British history was held. A lawyer from New York said, “I am not an Anti-American,” and “I would like to show that an pro-American is also against War.” In Germany, the biggest crowd since the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989 held a demonstration, and it was continued in each country including France, Italy, Spain, and Russia. A French Actor Marcel Marchal, who participated on the Marseille demonstration criticized, “The one that is old is not Europe, but the old-fashioned police country, America.”

In the meantime, as a result of the survey done to 1,002 Germans by a German poll institute Emnite, 54% of the respondents replied that the US President George W. Bush was a threat to the world peace, so it disgrace the assertion of the USA that it was the ‘war for peace.’ And 38% answered that the President Bush was more dangerous than the Iraqi President Sadam Hussein.

▽In the Middle East=And also in Baghdad, an anti-war demonstration that supported the President Hussein was held. For the demonstration that hundreds of thousands of people participated, around 1,000 anti-war peace protestors, who volunteered for ‘human shield’ in case of the breaking out of the Iraqi War, also participated. Even in Israel, which supports the invasion of Iraq plan, a large-scale anti-war demonstration was held for the first time. In Tel Aviv, 3,000 peace protestors, including Jewish and Arabic people, held a demonstration.

Seung-Jin Kim sarafina@donga.com